Tom Brady, New England Patriots brush aside injury to keep winning

New England Patriots Tom Brady bumps fists with Jimmy Garoppolo
before the game against the New York Jets in week 12 of the NFL at
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on November 27, 2016. The
Patriots defeated the Jets 22-17. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

In many ways it was a classic Brady game, willing the Patriots (9-2) to victory to keep pace atop the AFC playoff race.

Brady was dealing with a right knee injury
that forced him to miss two days of practice last week and seemed to
affect his accuracy early on against the Jets (3-8).

Making due with what he had, Brady had to go without Rob Gronkowski,
who left with a back injury in the second quarter, and in the face of
pretty consistent pressure and big hits from the Gang Green defense
early on.

By the time Brady took three kneel-downs to
close out the hard-fought victory in the seventh straight game between
the two teams decided by seven points or fewer, the quarterback had
completed 30 of 50 passes for 286 yards with two touchdowns and no
interceptions for a season-low 89.2 rating.

There were few beauty points -- one of his
two touchdown passes to rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell came after a
botched fake/fumbled jet sweep -- but the 17-year veteran knew when he
limped off the field that it was another step in the right direction for
yet team with its hopes set on yet another Super Bowl run.

"It was a great win for our team," Brady
said. "We didn't play as well as we wanted to, but we made the plays
when we needed to. It was a division game on the road. It's always a
tough team to play."

Though Brady said there was never any consideration of missing the game, he did admit it was a "long week."

New England helped its quarterback by
notching its first takeaways in a month. Malcolm Butler forced a fumble
in the first half that set up Brady's first touchdown. Then, Chris Long
closed the door on any Ryan Fitzpatrick comeback hopes with a strip-sack with less than two minutes to play.

While the future first-ballot Hall of Famer
deflected as he generally does, his 200th career victory against the
hated Jets came in somewhat appropriate fashion with an 83-yard comeback
drive to a game-winning touchdown on the first play after the
two-minute warning.

"It's a team sport. Individual award and
things like that mean that I've been a part of great teams with great
coaches and great teammates, and I've had a lot of really great support
over the years so hopefully we can keep winning," Brady said. "It never
gets old."

Some would say the same thing about the
39-year-old Patriots quarterback as he continues to pile up wins and
records while focused on a potential fifth Lombardi Trophy.

--Mitchell, New England's fourth-round
rookie, was on the receiving end of both of Brady's touchdown passes in
the down-to-the-wire victory over the Jets. But it was a potential
touchdown grab at the end of the second quarter that stuck in the young
receivers mind shortly after his game-winning, eight-yard score in the
closing minutes at MetLife Stadium.

"We have a team full of great guys who kept
me encouraged. I felt miserable after missing the earlier pass. All the
guys kept me encouraged and told me we have more time," Mitchell said of
a would-be score earlier in the final quarter. "I was just thankful our
team got another opportunity after I felt like I messed up an
opportunity for us to win the game. Regardless if it was me or someone
else, I'm glad the defense gave us an opportunity to win the game."

Mitchell has now scored three touchdowns in the last two games, including a pretty 56 yarder last week at the San Francisco 49ers.
For the season, the rookie has hauled in 16 catches for 235 yards and
the three scores, while clearly gaining the confidence of his Hall of
Fame quarterback.

"I think Malcolm has done a lot to gain
everyone's trust because he shows up every day, works his butt off and
is so committed to the team," Brady observed. "Football means a lot to
him. He's come through in the clutch, so we keep giving him
opportunities."

NOTES: TE Rob Gronkowski, who was returning
after missing one game to a chest injury that was a reported puncture
lung, left the first quarter of Sunday's win at the Jets with a back
injury and did not return. The All-Pro may have suffered the injury
lunging for a deep ball, the first of two passes thrown his way before
his departure. Though Gronkowski missed the final three-plus quarters
against the Jets, various media reports have already indicated the back
injury is not believed to be serious and the tight end is not expected
to miss additional time. Gronkowski has already missed or been limited
in six of New England's 11 games this season due to hamstring, chest and
now the back injury. ... SS Jordan Richards left the first quarter of
the Jets game with a right leg/knee injury suffered in kick coverage.
The second-year safety, almost entirely a special teamer this season,
did not return to action. ... WR Matthew Slater (foot) did not travel to
New York for the Jets game. He was listed as out on Friday after
missing practice all week due to the injury suffered a week earlier at
the 49ers.